September 9, 2010

Why did I not know about these until NOW?

It has come to my attention that "cake balls" are the newest popular treat around town. I have been to 2 baby showers within 3 weeks...both involving CAKE BALLS and was a virgin cake ball eater...until now! Is it just me or did you not know tiny little morsels existed either!?

I'm not a cook...and definitely not a baker. Anything with more than 5 ingredients intimidates me but cake balls make the cutest little desserts (not to mention they are SO good!) so I just had to find out how intensive it could really be. I felt like an idiot. There are 3 measly ingredients and only a handful of steps. That's it. I felt compelled to share this oh-so-simple recipe! (If I deem it as "do-able"...you should too!)

According to Paula Deen...this is how it's done:

Ingredients:
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix
  • 1 (16 ounce) container prepared cake frosting
  • 6 ounces of chocolate flavored confectioners coating disks or bar (available in white chocolate, dark or milk)
  • Food Coloring (optional)
Instructions:

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box. When cake is finished baking allow to cool for 30 minutes. Crumble the cake into a large bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add the frosting and mix until well combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Line a baking tray with wax paper. Use a melon baller as a scooper to form balls with the cake mixture. Place on wax paper. Once you have used all of the cake mixture, place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl of the microwave, stirring every 5-10 seconds until smooth. At this point you can add a bit of food coloring if you are using white chocolate.

Remove the balls from the freezer. Using one toothpick, pick up the balls one at a time and dip in the chocolate. Use a second toothpick to slide the ball off the first toothpick onto the wax paper lined baking tray.

NOTE: We found that an old Easter egg dipper works as well. If the balls fall off the toothpick into the chocolate, they are not firm enough to work with and you'll need to place them back in the freezer for additional time

Once you have covered all the balls in chocolate coating place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate coating is set. At this point you can drizzle other chocolate on the balls for decoration.

There are SO many different things you can do with the recipe-the possibilities are endless:
  • Use any flavor cake mix and/or icing (Ex: red velvet cake/cream cheese icing...funfetti cake/vanilla icing...I could go on for DAYS!)
  • Dye the white baking chocolate to whatever color goes with the party
  • Drizzle white chocolate over the coated chocolate cake balls or vice versa
  • Add sprinkles! (What doesn't look good with sprinkles?!)
  • Decorate them like this...(oh how I love the lady bugs!!)
  • Put them on a stick and call them "Cake Pops"-like this...
Honestly, I could care less what they look like. They taste AMAZING and are the perfect treat for any occasion. Enjoy!

September 8, 2010

Wedding Wednesday!


The ULTIMATE Pet Peeve!

What you see here is simply a picture of Jenny Finch and her friends. She's like a barbie that plays for the Olympic softball team so of course I follow her on Twitter & Blogger. And I usually love her! But after this, I decided to write her a little letter....


Dear Jenny,

You posted this photo the other day on Twitter stating that you were "at one of your friend's weddings." Eh-hmmm...wearing a white dress? I don't care how gorgeous/famous/fabulous of a softball player you are... it is probably one of the biggest mistakes EVERRRR to wear white to someone else's wedding. Period. You had your day already so let this girl have hers! I mean, come on. I'm far from fashionista and even I know better than this. It's like wearing socks with flip flops. YOU JUST DON'T DO IT! Maybe...just maybe...if the bride were Indian and chose to wear a different color than it might be okay but clearly, by looking at the picture below...that's not the case. And clearly, your friend sitting to your right in this photo doesn't get this concept either!!! Let's make it known now...you just don't wear white to someone else's wedding. Okay? Okay!

Phew-ok glad to have that off my chest. Is it just me or is it totally rude to wear white to other people's weddings?!!?? Girls???!!

I've personally been to weddings and have seen girls in white and I think my heart skips a beat every. single. time. I would be so aggravated if someone did this at our wedding. (Watch someone do it now that I've totally jinxed myself..damnit!) I would hope my friends and family know better though so I have faith that I will be the only one in *diamond* white on our big day! :)

Anyways...I've had enough of my bitch fit and I'm sure you have too! Time to hit the gym so I can look fabulous in my white dress! :)


September 7, 2010

What Labor Day Weekend was really all about...

Ashley's 25th Birthday!!!
Ashley and I have been the best of friends since our senior year of high school. It's really strange how we became so close but I am SO glad we did. Ash and I had Child Development together and sat by each other senior year. We hung out within the same "group" but never really hung out "together". ((if that makes ANY sense?) The year before college, I was going to UH to preview the campus to make sure it was where I wanted to go. I invited Ashley and her mom to tag along because it was a potential school for her as well. While at "Cougar Preview", as they call it, Ashley and I made the spontaneous decision to be roommates-although Ashley hadn't even applied to the freakin' school! We literally filled out the roommate paper while we were there and Ash rushed home to apply. We lived in the dorms together our first semester (guh-ross!). Our dorm was so small we could literally hold hands from our own beds and not to mention, we had community showers. ICK! However, we made the best of it. I may or may not have thrown old lunch meat on Ashley while she was in the shower one day. We may or may not have gone to college algebra everyday in our pajamas, with greasy hair and no make up-which is where I met my future husband. (Hey, who says you have to look cute to meet your soulmate?!) To say the least-we got really close, really fast. We rushed Delta Zeta, then moved to an apartment, then to the DZ house and lastly to a house, where we finished up our junior and senior years. (*tear*) Ashley is pretty chill and I'm extremely high strung so we were the perfect match and is what made it possible for her to live with me for 4 1/2 years of college! She pretty much taught me everything I know or needed to know when I got to college....like...
  • Not to put liquid soap in the dish washer
  • Don't wash reds with whites
  • Beer is always the drink of choice
  • How to register for classes
  • Paying bills/tuitions online
  • Where to go when you get a parking ticket or better yet...
  • Where to go when your car gets towed

And last...

  • When you puke, don't clean it up with a hand vac (ha! Love ya ash!)

She's the know-all of random information. If you ever find yourself needing to know random shit, Ashley's your girl! No but really, she's the epitome of a great friend and I would do anything for her. <3

Anyways, enough with the sappy stuff, Monday was Ashley's birthday-which is every reason to party!! We went out to our friend Geoff's lakehouse on Lake Livingston, along with oh, about 10 other people, and partied like it was 1999.

The Birthday Girl Herself! Ain't she purrttyy?!

(yes-those are real.)

Me & Ash (yes, I have on a swimsuit)

Todd (Ashley's other half!) on the jet ski

My Beau <3> Lorin & Nicole
Seriously, they're real.
Todd-prior to him slinging his swimsuit around his head.
Beau

Birthday Dinner @ Buster McNutty's (Don't ask. I don't know what the deal is with the name.)
Ash & her red velvet! :)
James the next morning. Breakfast of champions: mini cupcake + beer
The storm that came our way and cleared everyone out of the water. Boo!

The end!



September 6, 2010

Weekend Recap; Round 1:Babies/Football

We started off our long, much needed weekend with a trip out to see the newest addition to Meagen and Andy's family...Riliegh! She was born August 29, 2010 and is the cutest, tiniest little cuddle bug ever!! (Well-she was swaddled pretty tightly so she didn't have a choice but to be cuddly!)

For the record, this was Beau's FIRST time holding a baby! He's totally a natural! ((just sayin'...)
Whoever invented the "boppy"--GENIUS!
Practice makes perfect! ;)
Little Riliegh June. Isn't she just precious!?
My hand looks ginormous compared to her!

Saturday was the kickoff of college football!! I swear-we woke up watching the UT vs. Rice game, ate lunch while watching the Michigan game, and then went out to watch our home team, THE Houston Cougars, kick some Texas State bootay! This game really made me realize how much I LOVE tailgating football season! We got to see SO many old friends and enjoyed tailgating maybe a little too much so all around, it was a good time! The game was a blowout (DUH!) but this time, we were the one's doing all the butt kicking! I don't remember the final score (hmm...wonder why?!) but I know it was a lot to a little with the Coogs taking home a "W"!

Me & My Beau <3 href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMsJVVl6uf72j2vzQQNS9klurSxfSsgBxmgjZzBN4FC3lxLRObLHRY3vWJ0Rwf8GahscDEkNWnV7noiQLySFiJ4CVs-IL1_7WAhWDrDptYr5FufRI8G0X493p2UdSNqrqTzkXvNYwKok/s1600/CIMG0466.JPG"> Nicole & Me
The Brights! <3
This pic brings back SO many memories of college!
"I'm a Sigma Nu and I'm better than you. Plus you're gay so SHUT UP!"
Classy...I know. So what?!
This was one of those "Hey babe, take a picture with me so I can see how my hair's looking..." pics...
Oh how I missed J.R.!
Lorin, Nicole & Ashley
Yes, that's Cougar Red Beer! ;)
Beau's Sigma Nu Family
Beau, Ashley (Beau's lil sis), Taylor (Beau's twin), James (Grandpa)
So excited for the next game! :) This coming Friday! Expect many, many football pics this season!
Weekend Recap; Round 2:Ashley's birthday shananigans will be posted tomorrow...



August 31, 2010

Wedding Wednesday! (almost...)

Details...

It's the little things like this that make wedding planning (for me!) so much fun!

I made these for all my girls to hang their dresses on the day of the wedding! (Oh yea, and one for me & Beau too.)

Front of mine & Beau's hangers

Mine (of course!) has a little extra bling!
...what's a bride with no bling?!

...and don't forget the back!

The "o" is a diamond ring! :)


These were supposed to be a surprise for the girls but I know they are reading this and therefore...I ruined my own surprise. I couldn't wait! These turned out SO stinkin' cute! Sorry girls! More surprises to come!!

Anyways, if you would like to make these for any occasion, leave me a comment with your e-mail address and I'll be happy to help you! Or better yet, make them for you & ship them to you!

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